Thursday, September 4, 2008

Knotts Berry Farm

The day before Andrew and Ally left Tom and I took them to Knotts Berry Farm!

I used to ride all those crazy fair rides but, lately even swinging on the playground makes me queasy so I thought I would go and just hang out with everyone - just enjoy being together... But, Ally has these big gorgeous blue eyes that you just can't say no to... So - I rode a big ole rickety wooden roller coaster - it was o.k. just gave me a headache, then I rode some loopty roller coaster with my feet hanging down and by the end of that one I was thinking, "yea, that's enough of that!" Not interested in doing that again...



Andrew and Ally rode the boomerang which was a roller coaster that went one way then reversed and brought you back backwards! They are actually in this picture!

Then, we saw this one ride called the XXcellerator - it goes from 0 - 85 mph in 2.2 seconds then it goes straight up and comes straight down - INSANE. And my (not so) little nephew wanted to ride it... Luckily for me they had spoken to their mother (my big sister) and she had said, "Ride anything you want!" I still struggled with letting Andrew go on it. On the outside, I was the cool Uncle (if you don't know the story - ask) and said, "Yea, cool - go ahead - by yourself!" The whole time he was in line I fought the urge to run drag him out of the line! When he made it off alive and with dry pants, he was grinning from ear to ear and said, "I'm going to do it again!" And then my little tiny Ally wanted to ride it. I did hesitate with her and then prayed that somehow she wouldn't be tall enough... the girl is ALL LEG - she was plenty tall enough and her mom said she could... so Tom and I watched - and prayed - as she got on this crazy, shouldn't even be legal, roller coaster! She too came off alive and without wetting her pants - praise God! and wanted to do it again! They agreed to take a little break. Honestly I don't think it would be a good idea to ride that thing too many times in a row!
Later they wanted to do it again and Tom said to me, "I'll do it if you'll do it..." I seriously think he thought I was going to be his "out"! I said, "O.k. - let's go!" Insane people! I too made it off alive and with dry pants and wanted to do it again! The funniest part was you know how they have video on roller coasters now so you can see yourself riding it? Well, we all made these "bored" faces like checking our watch, looking at our fingernails, fake yawning and it was hilarious!!
Maybe you had to be there!!!

I so can't believe I rode that!! And I rode it 3 or 4 times!!
Later we rode the wet rides and one of those was crazy straight down big splash fun! Andrew and Ally both got henna tattoos... Andrew got a "B" on his wrist. Tom and I are quite sure it was his way of showing Bobowski love.


oh and here is a picture I found that got dumped onto my computer from Ally's camera - it's Andrew and his girlfriend Brittany! hmmm...

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Andrew, Ally, and Grandma on the Left coast

Grandma brought Andrew and Ally out for a week in August and we had a blast with them!! Here is my 6 foot tall nephew!! I remember when he turned 2 I asked him what he wanted for his birthday and he told me, "Simba and Apple Jacks" so I got him a stuffed Simba (from Lion King) and a box of Apple Jacks cereal! This is the first boy I ever truly loved and now I get his hand me down clothes...

And Ally taught me that you really can love the next one just as much as the first one - isn't she gorgeous? Both of them are sweet, smart kids

Some fun with the underwater camera! Even Grandma got in the action!!












Some fun at the beach! We had a day where Grandma stayed home with Alex and Kate and Tom, Andrew, Ally, and I went to the beach. For the first time in 4 years I was able to close my eyes on the beach!! Very relaxing - hmmm... maybe I'll go today! It was so fun swimming in the ocean with my nephew and niece! For the first half hour out in the water with them I felt like I had to reach out and get them when a big wave came like they were little kids - but they're not! It was quite an adjustment! We all surfed - Andrew got up on the first wave and looked like a pro out there on the long board! Ally got up almost every time - you can tell if they lived here they'd be surfers!!







Hanging out at home






Uncle Gordie came to visit from Japan! Don't you know he stands out like a turd in a punch bowl in Japan!! This is his first time seeing Kate!







Eating out --- Posisedon on the beach in Del Mar

the view... not bad!

Pipes in Leucadia


and our favorite --- Soup Plantation!